Chapter 66
In the “Multiverse” live stream room:
[Damn, hahahaha, why is Boss Jian’s WeChat name Happy Little Blue?!]
[I’ve been expecting this moment, and when it actually happened, I was so excited my scalp tingled, hahahaha, the program effect is off the charts, Happy Little Blue.jpg]
[Happy Little Blue: So happy to mess with you guys for a bit]
[Didn’t expect that, huh? Hey, I really am the same person (winks)]
[That man, he makes you love and hate him, and you just can’t stop]
[I can’t believe we get both his fried chicken and spicy hotpot, I’m so jealous, jealous, jealous, jealous, jealous, jealous, jealous, jealous, jealous, jealous. User [Ning Sheng] sent streamer [Jian Yunlan] a Romantic Carnival x10]
[?! Ning Baby, how are you watching the live stream? Aren’t you stuck at the Multiverse headquarters at some long meeting?]
[Shocked, even retired dog-blood novel protagonists aren’t spared from the fate of working and attending meetings]
[Even if Ning Baby is busy, he still finds time to watch Boss Jian’s live streams…]
…
In stark contrast to the lively atmosphere of the Multiverse live stream room.
At the entrance of Longteng Summer Camp, there was utter silence.
Only a single light swayed on the wall, blowing back and forth with the wind.
Including Fu Changfeng and Yu Ming, everyone stared dumbfounded at the figure coming closer—
The person on the tricycle held the handlebars with one hand while the other hand was still typing on their phone, pressing send.
The next moment, everyone’s phones vibrated.
In the group chat:
[Happy Little Blue: (Sticking out tongue) (Sticking out tongue) (Sticking out tongue) Hehe, it’s me, surprised?]
[Happy Little Blue: Stop fighting, Fried Chicken and Spicy Hotpot, they’re both my wings! (Smiling)]
Everyone: “???”
Everyone: “??????”
Eyes shook.
Song Shixia blankly looked up, even the red scarf on her head fell off, and she didn’t even have time to pick it up.
Xiao Xiao and Duan Qiongzhi, who were showing off their leg muscles while typing, almost pulled a muscle.
Principal Xu and Aunt Song Lanzhen stood there with their mouths wide open, their dentures falling to the floor.
Fu Changfeng and Yu Ming were both stunned. They looked at Boss Jian, then at each other, their expressions gradually becoming more complex and tinged with coldness…
—Just above the two messages from Happy Little Blue, there were still highly aggressive statements from both the Red and Golden factions:
[Anyone who can’t appreciate the preciousness of fried chicken and instead elevates that so-called ‘Boss Jian’s Spicy Hotpot’ as a treasure will eventually lead a relatively unsuccessful life.]
[Fried Chicken Boss? He’s not even worth a pinky finger of Boss Jian, I wouldn’t even stoop to eating it. Just a clown.]
The expressions of the diners remained calm, still holding the deep, serious air as if they were mysterious hermit experts with blood feuds.
But their fingers were frantically tapping the screen, to the point that it almost seemed like they were getting cramps.
Withdraw, withdraw, I need you to withdraw, ahhh!!!
In order to swear loyalty to Boss Jian/Fried Chicken Boss, many people had posted a lot of undignified comments about the boss they supported…
But who knew, all those comments came back to hit them like a boomerang!
It was like having a huge argument with their idol’s archenemy, using all means possible, only to discover after a long time that their idol and the archenemy were actually the same person using different aliases.
“Misunderstanding, it’s all a misunderstanding, hehe, this is just like the flood at the Dragon King Temple…” Aunt Song Lanzhen wiped sweat and desperately pressed the withdraw button.
Many people were frantically tapping the screen, veins popping on their foreheads.
In just this short time, Jian Yunlan had parked the tricycle, opened the extension tables on both sides. The modified tricycle effortlessly set up two food stalls, and once the extension tables were unfolded, the tricycle’s size doubled.
On the left extension table, under the warm light, all sorts of ingredients were neatly displayed: fresh tender beef tripe, fatty beef, meatballs, potatoes, tofu, enoki mushrooms.
Some sharp-eyed diners, under the bright lights, noticed a new dish—
Fried dough sticks.
The surface of the fried dough sticks glistened with a golden sheen, and the steam rising from them suggested they had just been fried. The fine bubbles emitted the scent of oil and flour.
The golden, crispy skin made it easy to imagine how fluffy and crispy it would be when bitten, or how it would taste when dipped into the spicy hotpot’s red broth—salty, soft, sticky, and full of rich flavors.
Ah, it’s perfect!
Many people had wanted to try fried dough sticks with their spicy hotpot for a while, but when Boss Jian set up stalls in the Lotus Pond community, he never offered them. People had thought he didn’t like them or wasn’t good at making them. But now, seeing how fluffy and golden these dough sticks were, they looked so delicious…
“Slurp, slurp.” The sounds of people swallowing their saliva echoed.
Behind the extension table, two large pots of soup were lined up.
Under the hungry gaze of the diners, Jian Yunlan lifted the lid of the soup pots, and the smell of the spicy hotpot wafted through the air.
The rich scent of Sichuan pepper and the savory bone broth filled the air, with a hint of spiciness. The soothing, bubbling sound of the hotpot boiling away was like a healing balm…
It was hard to distinguish the exact ingredients, but it was just so fragrant—fragrant enough to make everyone’s mouths water nonstop!
Jian Yunlan smiled and said, “Spicy hotpot, ten yuan per serving, choose any ingredients you like. Please queue up and take a number from Mao Mao.”
The majestic big dog leaped out from the side, its silver fur flying in the moonlight. The small basket hanging from its neck held a number tag. The dog’s expression was full of human-like arrogance and dominance: “Woof!”
As soon as the diners in the Lotus Pond community smelled that familiar fragrance, heard that familiar voice, and saw that familiar dog, tears instantly welled up in their eyes.
—All the previous grudges seemed to fade into insignificance.
What mattered now was that their beloved Boss Jian was back!
“Oh my god, I’ve been dreaming about this scene every day this week. Someone pinch me and tell me this isn’t a dream.”
“I’m back, the king has returned.”
“Wuwuwuwu, Boss Jian, I knew it, Boss Jian would never abandon the spicy hotpot like this.”
“It’s worth it, staying up all night to cross half the city to argue, worth it. I should thank those shameless fried chicken fans, hmph…”
The diners in the Lotus Pond community, walking in a daze, quickly began to line up behind the spicy hotpot pot.
—On the other side, the diners at Longteng Summer Camp were a bit awkward.
During the earlier argument, many had made harsh remarks, claiming they would never touch spicy hotpot, that they looked down on it.
But now, that rich spicy hotpot aroma was drifting through the air, and even if they wanted to ignore it, they couldn’t!
Especially Jiang Wolong.
He felt an unbearable frustration in his heart…
In order to be in the best condition to welcome the fried chicken, and also because he was completely immersed in the “war” online, he had hardly eaten anything today, just nibbled on two pieces of dry bread.
As soon as the rich aroma of spicy hotpot drifted over, with the depth of the bone broth and the freshness of the ingredients, his eyes immediately filled with stars!
But to queue up for the spicy hotpot… he couldn’t bring himself to do it.
Especially with the group of spicy hotpot fans from the Lotus Pond community still provocatively flaunting their superiority:
“Heh, what was it you guys said earlier? Spicy hotpot is garbage? Spicy hotpot tastes bad?”
“If it’s bad, don’t eat it!”
“Exactly, you guys criticized spicy hotpot so much earlier, and now you want to come and eat it? How ridiculous, are you taking all the good things for yourselves?”
Hearing these words, how could the fried chicken fans hold back?!
They immediately turned away from the spicy hotpot pots with darkened expressions, holding their heads high to preserve their dignity:
“I—I wouldn’t deign to eat spicy hotpot… I believe that fried chicken is the true way of the world…” “Yes, yes.” “Boss, Boss Jian, you’re still selling fried chicken today, right?”
Although many said this, their eyes couldn’t help but stick to the spicy hotpot pots, their stomachs growling.
It was painful, so painful…
Fortunately, Jian Yunlan soon opened the right extension table.
In a large pot of oil, the temperature slowly began to rise. Jian Yunlan grabbed a big piece of chicken fillet wrapped in cheese, coated it with batter and breadcrumbs, and gently placed it in the hot oil to fry.
The chicken fillet, bigger than a face, sizzled in the hot oil and quickly turned a golden color.
A little girl, with her hair tied in two buns and dressed in a light green robe, was holding a fan like a pro, squatting beside the fried chicken, watching over the frying process.
“Fried chicken is also available, ten yuan per serving, today it’s cheese explosion fried chicken.” Jian Yunlan said.
The aroma of fried chicken also gradually began to spread…
The rich and dominant scent of fried chicken, with the fragrance of oil, the savory scent of the chicken, and a hint of cheesy milkiness, subtly overpowered the smell of the spicy hotpot, sneaking into the noses of many spicy hotpot fans!
Lu Ling’s expression changed.
He adjusted his gold-rimmed glasses, trying to control himself, but his gaze couldn’t help but wander over to the oil pot.
How could this be? He was clearly a vegetarian, and fried chicken was not even in his consideration.
During the argument earlier, he had sworn that if he ever ate fried chicken in this life, he would be a little dog.
But why, why was his gaze so irresistibly drawn to the fried chicken…?
On the other side, the fried chicken fans straightened up, ready for revenge:
“Hahahaha, I told you, no one can resist the temptation of fried chicken!”
“Yeah, what’s so great about spicy hotpot… People who can’t have fried chicken are so pitiful, ha!”
“Exactly, go eat your spicy hotpot, but don’t touch the fried chicken!”
The spicy hotpot fans gritted their teeth:
“Fine, we won’t eat it… as if we’re desperate for it…” “We’ve got spicy hotpot, and that’s enough!” “Boss Jian, three spicy hotpots for my family, extra spicy!”
The spicy hotpot fans were on the left, the fried chicken fans on the right.
An invisible line seemed to have been drawn between them.
Both sides held their heads high, not even willing to look at each other.
Jian Yunlan: “…”
Even though he hadn’t set any rules, saying one side could only buy spicy hotpot and the other only fried chicken.
It seemed like these two groups of diners had set their own rules and formed their own groups!
Well, that works too.
“One spicy hotpot, right? Please make sure to take a number.” Jian Yunlan said.
Song Shixia eagerly nodded, and her father carried her to the side to pick ingredients. While choosing, she blinked her bright, sparkling eyes at Jian Yunlan, looking pitifully like a little adult, saying:
“Boss Jian, could you stop making fried chicken? Daddy says you’re too good for fried chicken, spicy hotpot is where you truly belong…”
On the other side, the fried chicken fans immediately seethed with anger upon hearing this.
How could such a little girl say words like ‘too good for’ and ‘true calling’? She must have had someone teach her!
“Ah, so you spicy hotpot fans are using dirty tricks.”
Upon hearing this, Jian Yunlan showed a thoughtful expression: “Well…”
Principal Xu glanced at the line on the left and saw everyone there acting all dignified, but with sly smiles at the corners of their mouths.
Hmph, business wars are always like this, no holds barred—don’t blame us for not showing mercy!
The fried chicken fans: “…”
Not willing to be outdone, they quickly sent out their most intelligent and emotionally savvy spokesperson.
Xiao Xiao, dressed in a white dress, looked like a goddess and softly said: “Boss Jian, your fried chicken brings so much joy to everyone. Fried chicken is your true calling! As for spicy hotpot, it’s just a waste of time…”
Principal Xu whispered something, and after hearing it, Xiao Xiao continued: “The principal said that if you’re willing to only make fried chicken, the shares of Longteng Summer Camp can be offered to you, how much, how much…”
Jian Yunlan once again pretended to think deeply: “Well…”
The spicy hotpot fans turned pale.
The fried chicken fans immediately broke into triumphant smiles.
Look!
Opportunities are always for those who are prepared!
Jian Yunlan: “…”
Heh heh, although he hadn’t considered any of the suggestions from either side.
But teasing them a little was quite fun.
“…”
The fried chicken fans and spicy hotpot fans had already silently exchanged several rounds of glares, each group red-eyed with frustration.
This hostile standoff continued until the first spicy hotpot was served…
“Number 1, your spicy hotpot is ready, be careful, it’s hot.”
Jian Yunlan said as he handed it over.
Song Jing’an, grinning from ear to ear, happily walked up holding his daughter.
—As the wind blew, the soup pot continued to bubble, emitting a tempting red, glossy oil sheen.
Song Shixia sucked on her finger, stretching her neck to take a look. She could see the strainer in the pot, with various ingredients swirling around, changing from raw to cooked. The fatty beef, with both lean and fatty pieces, turned from red to brown, curling up…
Jian Yunlan waited until just before the final serving to add the fried dough sticks.
The fried dough sticks were freshly fried, and if they were added too early, they would become too soft and lose their crispness.
He wanted them to be just the right combination of soft and crispy, with a slight soak in the soup.
While talking, Jian Yunlan added the ingredients from the strainer into the bowl, poured a ladle of hot, shiny red broth over them, and then took a brush to coat the ingredients in a thick layer of chili and spices. Finally, he topped it off with a sprinkle of chopped green onions, white sesame seeds, and crushed peanuts.
Song Jing’an held his breath as he received the bowl of spicy hotpot amidst the envious and jealous gazes of the others.
Boss Jian’s spicy hotpot never skimped on the ingredients. Each bowl was packed full, with the fried dough sticks half soaked in the broth, while the other half remained above the surface.
Because they absorbed the broth, the fried dough sticks had a slightly heavy feel, their golden crust glowing with a subtle, oily sheen. The soup dripped down from the fried dough sticks, with a fragrant and spicy, yet fresh, taste.
Unable to resist, Song Jing’an quickly picked up a piece of the fried dough stick and put it in his mouth.
Song Jing’an: “Hiss—”
So hot!
As he bit into the fried dough stick, the outer crispy golden crust cracked open, and the scalding, rich beef bone broth immediately flowed out, mingling with the hot oil from the dough stick. The spiciness, numbing sensation, and savoriness intertwined on his taste buds.
With just one bite, Song Jing’an was once again amazed by Boss Jian’s spicy hotpot.
—Boss Jian’s perfect control over the timing and heat ensured that the half-soaked dough stick was soft and tender, while the outer crust retained a perfectly crisp and fragrant texture!
Surrounded by the steaming, savory hotpot, the crispy yet chewy, rich and juicy dough stick texture was so irresistible that the more he chewed, the more he wanted to continue.
Once he started eating, it was impossible to stop. Song Jing’an’s lips were slightly swollen from the spiciness, his mouth tingling, and his forehead dripping with sweat.
While panting, Song Jing’an finished the entire fried dough stick. At this point, both Lu Ling and Song Shixia couldn’t resist anymore. Song Shixia, with a soft voice, said: “Daddy, I want to eat too…”
And just then, Lu Ling and Song Shixia’s mildly spicy hotpot was ready.
Song Jing’an dipped the fatty beef in the broth, blew on it a little, and then spooned the beef and soup into Song Shixia’s mouth.
Song Shixia: “…Mmm!”
The little girl’s eyes squinted with pure joy, her chubby cheeks flushed with happiness.
—The hot, aromatic beef bone broth slid down her throat, and the spiciness from the red oil and peppercorns was just a perfect touch. Since it was made for a child, Jian Yunlan hadn’t made it too spicy; the heat was just an accent to enhance the broth’s fresh flavor.
The fatty beef was cooked so tender that Song Shixia didn’t need to try hard to bite through it. The savory beef fat spread in her mouth, and the fragrance of the meat fibers and oils gave her a satisfying feeling of indulging in a big, hearty meal.
“Whoo, so spicy, so fragrant!”
On the other hand, Lu Ling had a bite of the fried dough stick soaked in tomato-based broth, and he was also stunned by its crispy yet soft, rich and tempting flavor.
The family of three sat close together, no longer thinking about anything else, quietly enjoying the delicious food and happy time provided by Boss Jian…
They didn’t intend to show off anything.
But nearby, the fried chicken fans were already green with jealousy.
It smelled so good…
The aroma of the spicy hotpot wafted in the air, accompanied by the rich broth and red oil on the fatty beef and tripe, the sounds of their eating a triple assault on the senses—taste, smell, and sight.
What could be more painful than seeing something you want but can’t have?
On the other side, the spicy hotpot fans had already begun to boast and provoke, deliberately speaking loudly:
“Boss Jian, I want a portion of spicy hotpot.”
“Extra spicy, I’m not afraid of heat, give me all the peppers!”
“Heh, let those who can’t have it feel jealous… Boss Jian, I can eat ten of your fluffy, crispy fried dough sticks soaked in the spicy hotpot broth all by myself!”
And just then, the first batch of fried chicken was ready.
“Cheese-filled fried chicken, should I cut it?” Jian Yunlan asked as he took the double-fried chicken fillet out and drained the oil.
Xiao Xiao’s gaze was still lingering on the spicy hotpot beside her. She said, “Ah? Hmm… yeah, cut it.”
She regretted it a little.
The spicy hotpot looked so delicious… Compared to that, the fried chicken seemed lacking.
It wasn’t just her—many in the fried chicken crowd were feeling tempted, regretting the firm words they had said earlier.
If they had known, they would have gone for the spicy hotpot, but now they couldn’t go back on their vow.
Sigh…
“Okay.” Jian Yunlan nodded.
The fried chicken was placed on oil-absorbing paper. The steaming hot air filled with the fried chicken’s aroma hit them all at once. The chicken fillet was thin but large, with a golden, crispy crust full of breadcrumbs. A gentle touch made the crumbs fall off.
Just looking at it was already incredibly tempting.
Xiao Xiao couldn’t help but glance back at the fried chicken.
Even the spicy hotpot eaters, who were enjoying their meal, couldn’t help but glance over at the fried chicken a few more times.
What was even more surprising was that, in the next moment, Jian Yunlan picked up a knife and neatly cut the fried chicken in half—
Crack.
The golden, crispy outer shell was split open, revealing the tender, juicy chicken inside. The meat was full of juices, and the shimmering oil glistened under the warm light, making it look incredibly smooth, salty, and savory.
But what was even more surprising was the rich cheese pouring out…
As the fried chicken was sliced open, the thick, rich cheese sauce flowed out with steam. The silky texture and milky yellow color made it almost impossible to not imagine the smooth, savory taste of the cheese when it touched your tongue.
If it could combine with the crispy fried chicken, with the crunchy shell and tender meat, how delicious would that be?
The spicy hotpot eaters looked at the golden fried chicken, and for some reason, even though they already had the delicious hotpot in hand, their stomachs still growled. They couldn’t help but swallow secretly.
They already had enough with the hotpot.
But the fried chicken… it just looked so good…
Xiao Xiao no longer regretted it.
What regret? She was actually feeling pleased with herself.
Amid the envious and jealous gazes of everyone around, Xiao Xiao eagerly took the fried chicken and took a big bite—
The first thing she tasted was the crispy, golden crust.
As her teeth sank into it, the crust was perfectly crispy, and with each bite, it crumbled and crackled. Then came the chewy chicken meat, with its unique tender texture, juices, and oils overflowing.
Every inch of the chicken was soaked in a fragrant marinade, and each bite had a special flavor that made her want to savor it. But Xiao Xiao didn’t have time to savor it because the rich cheese poured out…
In that instant, a flash of white light appeared in front of her eyes.
The hot cheese melted, and its silky, sticky texture combined with the crispy chicken, elevating the fried chicken to a whole new level of deliciousness.
“Whoo, it’s so hot, so hot,” Xiao Xiao paused to blow on it, but the deliciousness was irresistible, and she couldn’t help but want to eat it all in one go. “Ahhhh, it’s so good, so fragrant!!!!”
The spicy hotpot eaters looked at the fried chicken, then back at their hotpot, then at the fried chicken again, their eyes bloodshot with jealousy…
“…”
*
In the “Multiverse” livestream.
Hundreds of thousands of viewers were going crazy with jealousy.
[How lucky are they to encounter Boss Jian running two stalls at once? You have no idea how lucky you are…]
[Jealous, jealous, jealous, jealous!]
[Jealousy is making my face twist >.<]
…
[Stop being jealous! Your Xiao Lan’s ranking on the plot-solving leaderboard is still dropping, ahhhhhh! It’s already down to 16th place, and the dimensional strategy countdown has started. If she falls out of the top 20, she’ll be eliminated!]
[What? Why is it still dropping?!]
[Our Xiao Lan has been seriously running the stall!]
Most of the viewers in the Multiverse livestream knew that a livestream’s ranking on the plot-solving leaderboard could attract a lot of new viewers.
But few knew that a rapid decline in rankings could also attract new viewers…
However, these new viewers were not the curious types.
This batch of new viewers mostly came with a mocking attitude, just to watch the chaos.
They roamed through livestreams of those on the verge of elimination, not for any reason other than to watch the despair and unwillingness on the hosts’ faces when they were eliminated, as a source of amusement.
These viewers were known by a special name in the Multiverse livestream—“Vultures.”
At this moment, a newly arrived “Vulture” viewer smugly posted:
[Laughing to death, you don’t actually think that just because he’s running a stall, he can completely mess up the main couple’s relationship line, right?]
Old viewers: “…”
Hey, guess what?
Sigh, I’m caught up in laughter. But suddenly there was a annoying flies flying around and swept around the ear. The face is so small that it has to rely on the slap to make the face look bigger?
Do they do not doubt their own brain?